Romance from Diamond Travel

Not long now until Valentine’s Day so now’s the time to think about romance.  Whether it’s a day out, a weekend or longer, Diamond Travel can help you with some ideas.

 A day of romance

• London Eye plus dinner – 3 course dinner in a Covent Garden restaurant followed by a trip on the London Eye for some breathtaking evening views – from just £40 per person
• Notting Hill Movie Tour – spend a couple of hours revisiting the locations used in the romantic comedy – just £8 per person
• The Bodyguard – seats to see the show, from £60 per person
• Champagne Afternoon Tea at Harrods – £38 per person

 

A weekend of love

Some cities are renowned as romantic destinations.  Paris, Rome and Venice are always popular.  However, you can pop down to Cape Town for a long weekend and at this time of year, the weather is loads better than in the UK!  Closer to home, Bruges is a compact town in Belgium, with canals, medieval buildings and chocolate.  Alternatively, Budapest has museums, spas and the River Danube – beautiful city to explore.

 

 More time?

If you can manage a longer break, you could try;

• The Caribbean – stay at an adults only, all-inclusive hotel where you could enjoy a candlelit dinner on the beach.
• A hot air balloon ride over the Nile or Masai Mara
• Learn to samba in Rio or tango in Buenos Aires
• Las Vegas – renew your wedding vows with Elvis!
• My ultimate destination however for romance has to be a SouthPacificIsland.  Cruise through the seas around Tahiti and French Polynesia.

Wherever you choose to spend time with the one you love, just call Olein at Diamond Travel.  I’ll make you both sparkle!

All prices quoted subject to availability at the time of booking.  Diamond Travel, agency S0466, acts as The Global Travel Group plc in connection with the sale of travel products.  Unless specified as the operator, The Global Travel Group plc is the agent of ATOL Protected Tour Operators and other principals.

Christmas holidays are coming soon!! Book now …

Great deals on November bookings.  It’s the last week of our financial year, so a last push – as the old carpet store ad used to say, “we’d rather sell them than count them!”  I’d rather sell holidays than do the accounts, so help me out here!!

Firstly it’s not too late to book for Christmas or New Year breaks – a week on the Algarve, self catering from just £600 for 2 people.  £1100 will get you to the quiet island of Santa Cruz in the Canaries, with flights from Manchester, self catering.  if you want some exotic sunshine, we’ve got a break to the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, all inclusive from £3500 for 2 people for a week with flights from Gatwick.

Or if you’re doing all your Christmas shopping online and just want to escape the madness on the High Street – pre-Christmas breaks are very good value.  For example, a week in Madeira , B&B, or a week in Majorca, self catering with flights from Gatwick, departing 3 December  will cost from just £500 for 2 people.

 

All holidays quoted subject to availability at the time of booking.  Credit card surcharges may apply.  Other destinations available.  Diamond Travel acts as the Global Travel Group Plc in connection with the sale of travel products.  Unless specified as the operator, the Global Travel Group Plc is the agent of ATOL Protected Tour Operators and other principals.

Choose a cruise – let me help you!

Not cruised before and not sure where to start?  There are so many more ships on the oceans today than ever before.  All have something different to offer.  Why not check out Regent Seven Seas – they have six star ultra luxury cruises.  Have a look at this video and dream away those dull, damp November days!!  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzwbB3Oa1as

Then call me to discuss your next trip!

Diamond Travel blog update

Training and more training. Last week on Wendy Wu Tours, this week on Virgin’s Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco. I’m learning loads at the moment, there’s always tour operator and destination-specific training happening! So what would you like to learn about – which destination world-wide takes your fancy, but you’d like to learn more before boarding that plane? Just ask me your travel questions and hopefully, I can get you a stage closer to that dream holiday!

I’ve also had plenty of special offers in this past week – cruise offers, London concert and hotel packages, ski holidays and more.

Bookings and enquiries this week are as varied as ever. Round the world flight itineraries, coach tours to France and New England, flights to Hong Kong and Turkey, holidays to Spain, Egypt and Italy. Come on – make my life full of variety, give me a call!!

Pirate Holidays

Well not really – but on Talk Like a Pirate Day, I thought I’d check out the locations for the Pirates of the Caribbean films as potential holiday destinations.

According to Wikipedia, Port Royal (where the Governor lives and where Elizabeth meets the pirates at the start of the first film) was a real location in Kingston, Jamaica.  Tour operators don’t offer many holidays in Kingston – but there are fabulous hotels along the coasts in the north and west of the island.

Dominica was used as a location for several scenes in all the films. One of the quieter Caribbean islands, it has unmatched beauty.  With its dense rainforests, magnificent waterfalls and mountainous centre, Dominica will bring out the eco-adventurer in you. The island is still unspoilt, but you can expect the locals to go out of their way to spoil you with the genuine warmth of their welcome and their wonderful hospitality. People come here for the whale and bird watching alone, but it’s also great for diving, hiking and exploring the island’s beautiful interior. (Thanks Caribtours – one of the great tour operators we work with)

Singapore was another location used in 2 films.  It’s international airport was recently named as the BestAirport in the World by Business Traveller – for the 25^th year running!  However good the airport is – it’s even better to leave it and explore the fantastic city beyond the runways.  Time has some great ideas for things to do in the city.

No need for eye patches, parrots or bad pirate accents!  Unfortunately I can’t send you on holiday with Johnny Depp either – but you’ll have an unforgettable time anyway if you book with Diamond Travel

What would you like me to blog about?

I love writing about travel, but unless it’s something you want to read about – it’s kind of wasted!!  So what would you like to write about?

• Destinations – new, upcoming, just below the radar, off the beaten track?
• Destinations – the well-established, well-loved places but with a fresh look at them?
• Travel news
• Special offers
• ?????????

Just let me know!  Email olein@diamondtravel.ltd.uk or contact me through the website on the enquiry form

Chocolate holiday inspiration – yummy treats on holiday

Today is World Chocolate Day – never needing an excuse to think about (and eat) chocolate!  I thought I’d look at some unusual chocolate themed days out in the UK and overseas.

 In the UK:

• Various chocolate making workshops all over the UK. 
• Why not extend the above experience to include whoopee-pie making and chocolate cocktails?  Great for a hen party!
• Cadbury World is set in the home of British chocolate – Bourneville.  Discover all you ever wanted to know about the world of chocolate on an educational, multimedia and mouth-watering day out.
• Take tea at Fortnum and Mason in London – this includes a very rich square of chocolate cake with a near-liquid centre.  Of course the expected sandwiches, cakes, canapés and tea are included as well! 

Overseas:

• In the USA, we can book you on a Beer, Cheese and Chocolate tour in Manhattan’s Upper West Side.  Discover some of the newest, best, and coolest eateries, shops & restaurants in Manhattan while eating and learning about some of the most delicious desserts and beers you’ve ever had!
• Still in New York – the Lower East Side is filled with some of the best restaurants and eateries in New York.  You’ll see coffee being roasted in a 21st century way, taste the most exotic donuts you’ve ever had, bite into delicious sandwiches, pucker at fresh dill pickles and aahhh over creamy mission fig and chocolate chili ice cream
• On the Hoover Dam Deluxe Tour – you get to experience a tour of Las Vegas, Henderson and BoulderCity. Photo opportunities of Lake Mead, Colorado River and BlackCanyon.  2 hours at the Hoover Dam itself.  And then finishing back in Las Vegas with a visit to the Ethel M. Chocolate Factory with free samples.

Elsewhere in the world;

• Down under, try an Adelaide City Tour.  This includes a tour of Haigh’s chocolate factory (closed on Sundays). Here you can enjoy a brief tour, a complementary tea or coffee and some chocolate samples.
• Or the Hunter Valley Wineries, where you enjoy a full day tour of some of Australia’s best known wineries.  The final stop of the day is at the Hunter Valley Cellars for another tasting and a visit to the chocolate and cheese factories.
• In Western Australia, take the Swan Valley Wildlife and Wine tour which includes a stop at the Margaret River Chocolate Company where the opportunity is available to sample some delicious chocolates and purchase from their extensive range. 
• In Germany, the Storyline of Berlin includes a visit to one of Germany’s oldest chocolate makers
• During the Riga Discovery Tour in Latvia, you’ll visit the Laima chocolate factory where you can enjoy a drink, order some food and chat with the staff.

For more details on any of the above or for holidays where you can visit Belgium and Swiss chocolate makers – just get in touch!  Now off to raid the biscuit tin for some Chocolate digestives – yummy 

London breaks

As the world turns its attention to London once again, it’s time to highlight some London breaks!

Even an overnight stay away from home can revitalise your batteries and after such a dreadful summer weather-wise, I’m sure we all feel the need for some pampering!

We’ve got some great offers for you – some examples are shown below:

 

HARRODS VINTAGE BUS TOUR, RIVER CRUISE & CHAMPAGNE AFTERNOON TEA !

Saturday 15th September 2012

Stay 1 night B&B at a 4* Mystery Hotel in Kensington and enjoy a bus tour of London on the Harrods Vintage open top bus followed by a catamaran sightseeing cruise down the Thames then a Champagne afternoon tea back at Harrods

From £108.50pp

Other dates are also available

 

A GHOST BUS TOUR OF LONDON !

Saturday 22nd September 2012

Stay 1 night Self Catering at the 4* Hyde Park Executive Studios & Apartments and take a creepy night tour of London aboard the London Ghost Bus – a 19th century restored ‘Carcass Coach’

From £65.50pp

Other dates are also available

 

JONGLEURS COMEDY CLUB & DINNER!

Saturday 6th October 2012

Stay 1 night B&B at the 4* RussellHotel and enjoy a night of comedy at London’s famous Piccadilly comedy club, Jongleur’s, with dinner at the club included

From £84.50pp

Other dates are also available

 

5 star hotel plus top seats for Billy Elliot

Saturday 20 October 2012

Stay at the Radisson Blu in Leicester Square in the heart of Theatreland.  1 night B&B

From £199 per person

Other dates and hotels available

 

Many other special offers available.  Just contact us to discuss your next break

Prices based on 2 people sharing a room.  All prices are subject to availability at the time of booking.

What happens in Vegas…………..

Las Vegas isn’t just for royal visitors! You too can stay there – whether it’s at the MGM Grand or the Wynn Encore, where rumour had it that Prince Harry stayed.  Or one of the dozens of other hotels along the famous Las Vegas Strip.  If you stay off the strip – you have the advantage of lower hotel prices, but you’ll have extra costs with cab fares to get you to the action.

However don’t just go to Vegas for the pool parties and the nightlife!  There’s loads more to do during your stay.  For example, we can prebook plenty of excursions to take you away from the bright lights – to the Grand Canyon or the lesser know Red Rock or EldoradoCanyons.  Or get your Stetson at the ready and take a trail ride along the Grand Canyon Rim.

Of course, we can book the shows, the VIP Club passes and so many other attractions that Vegas has to offer.  We can even book your wedding with Elvis presiding!

But remember – what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!

Today’s travel offers

Loads of new travel offers come in every day.  Here’s a selection of today’s offers:

• With flights from Manchester, 3 night city break in Prague from £217 per person.
• Book now for New Year in St Petersburg 2012-13.  4 nights, 4 star hotel.  A real Russian experience with Gala Dinner, sledge riding, sightseeing, caviar and vodka to enjoy!  From £1295 per person
• Spooktacular Halloween Fun booking now at Disneyland Paris!  With special effects and Mickey’s Magical Fireworks and Bonfire.
• Great offers available for autumn breaks in Jersey.  From £249 per person, 2 nights half board at 5 star hotel, with return sailing for foot passengers from Poole. 
• Pre Christmas ski break in Tignes, France.  3 star catered chalet.  With flights from Gatwick.  Includes flights, transfers, accommodation, local lift pass & ski/board hire or carriage.  Prices from £735 per person
• Cruise savings – this autumn in the Med.  With prices from £689 per person for a 7 night cruise from Venice to Rome, with flights from Manchester
• Cruise Europe’s waterways in 2013 – with offers like this: 10 day cruise along the Elbe, from Berlin to Prague, visiting Dresden, Meissen, Potsdam and other historic towns.  With prices from £1495 per person
• Maldives – 7 nights in a deluxe oceanview villa, full board, with speedboat transfers and flights from London.  Price from £2759 per person

And this is just part of the selection!!  Want to know more – just ask Olein at